Letter to the UNSG on NDCs
Dear Secretary-General Guterres,
CAN commends you for your efforts in holding a UNSG Special High-Level Event on Climate Action on September 24th. NDCs are the backbone of the Paris Agreement and are critical for achieving the goal of 1.5C.
CAN has been following the submission of NDCs 3.0 and notes with great concern that only 34 have been submitted so far, and only 11 come from developed countries, which should be taking the lead on climate action and providing means of implementation to developing countries. Only five G20 countries have submitted new NDCs, even though they are responsible for 80% of global emissions.
The outcome of the first GST at COP28 in 2023 significantly advanced the climate regime through the agreement to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner; triple renewable energy capacities and doubling energy efficiency by 2030; conserving, protecting and restoring ecosystems in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework; and halting and reversing deforestation by 2030. We are however disappointed that countries are failing to incorporate this COP28 GST agreement in their NDCs, which is where the implementation of this agreement should be embedded. NDCs are also falling short in terms of means of implementation, adaptation and social justice. Given this context, it is fair to assume that we will be faced with a significant ambition gap when the deadline passes that will reduce our chances to stay on a pathway aligned with 1.5°C and climate justice.
Two years have passed since the major turning point that was the UAE Consensus. Yet, there has been no substantial discussion on how to align international cooperation to foster delivery at the national level. This is further complicated by the fact that the UAE Dialogue on implementing the GST outcomes has not been operationalised.
While NDCs is not on the formal COP30 agenda, it is clear COP30 must respond to the NDC ambition gap and agree on a plan to accelerate implementation in line with equity and CBDR-RC, alongside progress on means of implementation to enable greater action. The outcomes of the synthesis report will have an impact on the spirit and tone of the COP, which could have implications for progress on other critical issues on the agenda. As CAN we believe that measures should be taken in advance of the COP to avert such a situation. The Special High-level event that you are cosponsoring together with Brazil provides this opportunity. The tangible outcomes from this High-Level event should send a much needed political signal to the world that the ambition to achieve 1.5°C and the Paris Agreement is still alive and that countries remain strongly committed to the climate regime and to multilateralism. This message is reinforced by the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice that made it clear that ambitious NDCs are not only a moral obligation, but a legal obligation that Parties are accountable for.
We would like to provide some proposals on how the High-Level Event can help send this signal.
Firstly, we need the Head of States to come prepared to the Leaders Summit at COP30 with a public commitment to go back and fix their NDCs, and especially developed countries that are falling short of their responsibilities. These revised and strengthened NDCs would be submitted before COP31.
The revised NDCs need to include plans and timelines to transition away from fossil fuels, in line with equity and the fair shares of each country. The NDCs should also include targets to contribute to the global goals on renewable energy and energy efficiency and measures to halt deforestation by 2030. Simultaneously, the revised NDCs should include commitments to eliminate counterproductive domestic policies such as fossil fuel subsidies.
G20 countries should take the lead in reducing emissions, including through the transition away from fossil fuels, taking into account equity and CBDR-RC, with developed countries moving first and supporting developing countries.
Secondly, as is well known, climate finance is a key enabler of climate action. The High-Level event should include the issue on climate finance as a key condition for strengthening ambition in the NDCs of developing countries. Additionally, developed countries should include their public grants-based finance for developing countries in their NDCs as well.
The High-level event should also call on Parties and the Presidency to make space at COP30 to address the question of climate finance provision in line with equity and CBDR-RC, including in the Baku to Belém roadmap and Art 2.1c discussions.
Thirdly, the Just Transition Work Programme (JTPW) forms an important part of the architecture for enabling climate ambition. In addition to reaching agreement on the principles of just transition, we believe that establishing the institutional mechanism, the Belem Action Mechanism, would help with providing the guiding framework and support for the implementation of NDCs. The High-Level Event can play an important role in highlighting the importance of Just Transition for enhanced climate ambition.
Finally, any global sectoral initiatives to address the ambition gap at the High-level Event should respect the principles of equity and CBDR-RC.
We look forward to the announcements from the Special High-Level Event on Climate Action Summit and count on you to support the COP Presidency and governments in laying the basis for the political response needed to restore hope in the climate regime and improve its connections to people’s lives and ecosystems.
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Download file: http://CAN-I-Letter-to-the-UNSG-NDC-Sept25.pdf